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[Story] Streams of Fire *(Chapters 15 has arrived!!!)*

This is my first fan fiction, or my first fiction, period. So feel free to give me any criticism or comments, as they usually are helpful...
For those who are too lazy to sit and read this here, you can download one of these 3 PDF files and read them wherever you want on:
[url=http://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_BP88KGqGTnNzU1NWJmYzAtMWU5ZS00Nzg5LTgzZmItYjQ0ZjZkYjY2NTU3]Your computer[/url]
[url=http://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_BP88KGqGTnMzM1ZmJiNDctZmJmNi00MzkyLTlkY2UtNzZkMTNkYTA5ZmZh]Your iPad or eReader[/url]
or even
[url=http://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_BP88KGqGTnODBkZTQxN2UtMWZkZC00YjI3LTg3ODAtN2I0NDIyNjEyM2Yz]Your iPhone or iPod touch[/url]
These PDF will be updated with the post here, so you can grab the new one when the chapter is up. All you have to do to download the PDF files is click "File" then "Download Original"
To pull this file into iBooks on you iPod or iPad, simply send it to yourself as an attachment in an email. Open that email on your selected device and there should be an option to import it into iBooks, where you can read in the comfort of wherever you happen to be.
You may also notice a shiny new cover. Keep in mind that I made it, and I am in no way an artist, and I drew it on my iPod too... If you would like to contribute a more awesome cover, please do so. I would love a nice, even shinier cover...
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=1#48303855]Chapter 1[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=1#48303931]Chapter 2[/url](it's in the middle of the post)
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=1#48303997]Chapter 3[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=1#48388277]Chapter 4[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=1#48473026]Chapter 5[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=1#50245125]Chapter 6[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=2#54105324]Chapter 7[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=2#59135727]Chapter 8[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=2#59135803]Chapter 9[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=3#60043938]Chapter 10[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=3#60111189]Chapter 11[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=3#63477589]Chapter 12[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=3#64561818]Chapter 13[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=48303195&postRepeater1-p=4#64562113]Chapter 14[/url]
[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=70212379]Chapter 15[/url]
[b]Streams of Fire
Prologue[/b]
The battery of my wrist computer was dead. Of all times for it to happen, the nearly limitless energy source that powered it had gone out. I stared at the black screen, my reflection showing clearly, despite the long crack running through it. It was the first time in fifteen years that I had seen my face. I had always been too busy, too focused to spend time in front of a mirror. I gazed now into eyes that seemed unfamiliar, a face covered with scars that I could barely remember, and a short crop of hair much different from the long style of my adolescence. Gray patches were just starting to appear, odd, considering my age of 35. I guess that's what war does to a man. I pulled the busted contraption off my bleeding forearm, and threw it to the charred dirt. I put my hands to my face, holding back the tears of a battle gone bad, continuing them upwards through my graying hair. Then, as if a switch had turned off, my arms dropped, lifeless, to the ground. I no longer had the energy, nor the will to move, the day had drained all hope from me.
I sat in silence, leaning against the useless warthog, watching the landscape around me burning. Reach was glassed, but for some reason, where I was had been left untouched. I watched what were once mountains flicker behind the heatwaves of the superheated surface. I heard the fizzling of the air around me as the temperature continued to rise. I felt the sweat dripping from my beaten brow. My senses were ablaze with the symphonies of a dying planet, and all I could do was wait, wait until I joined it. Reach's last hour had arrived, and I had been unfortunate enough to be stranded on it. Strangely, my thoughts veered away from my situation, and drifted towards my past. I put my head back, staring into the fiery sky. I watched a Covenant cruiser drifting silently overhead, its purple hull creating a stark contrast against the orange and crimson sky. It flickered with the flames of a burning world, its plasma weapons finally finished. I stared at it for what seemed like hours, and then I finally closed my eyes, and drifted off into another world.
[Edited on 02.17.2012 10:25 PM PST]

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Lobster Fish 2
When I get the time I really would love to read past Chapter 2.
*in progress*[/quote]Ah! thanks for reading, and it is much better after chapter 2, those two chapters were the first things I had written in a long time, so they weren't all that great.
The good news is: A new chapter is coming!
What!? You mean you're gonna actually post something new!?
Yes! I am!
I have the entire general plot planned out for the remainder of the story including dates and locations. Now all I have to do is fill those locations with events and actually write it out. Also, I'm out of college for the summer. While I'm still working full time, I will not have anything in particular that I need to do while I'm home. The next chapter that I'll put out will be a bit slow, so I'll probably hold it until I have 2 chapters to put out.
I've been really disappointed with how lazy I've been coming up with new material, and I plan on changing that ( for real this time! ). The next two chapters should be written and posted sometime in the next two weeks. I haven't forgotten about this story, and I've thought about it often. It isn't over just yet.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Gr33n Knight
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] krnlcheese
Are you almost finished with the chapter?[/quote]Yes! I know I've been silent for a while, but classes are crazy this semester. Every time I try and put aside time to finish it, something comes up. I've got two papers and three Game Dev projects left, and then the rest of the semester is smooth sailing, so I [i]hope[/i] that I can actually live up to my word at that point, and update regularly.
If I can get an hour or two during the long weekend, I should be able to wrap this chapter up and get started on the next.[/quote]Sweet! Will look forward to.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] krnlcheese
Are you almost finished with the chapter?[/quote]Yes! I know I've been silent for a while, but classes are crazy this semester. Every time I try and put aside time to finish it, something comes up. I've got two papers and three Game Dev projects left, and then the rest of the semester is smooth sailing, so I [i]hope[/i] that I can actually live up to my word at that point, and update regularly.
If I can get an hour or two during the long weekend, I should be able to wrap this chapter up and get started on the next.

Well, for goodness sake, Green! You're back! With another chapter! Wicked stuff, man. You really lay on the emotion through that one.
Well, if you can get a chapter out, I guess I better crack on and get my one done. Gotta love having no time for these things, eh?

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] krnlcheese
Nice chapter, are you going to continue writing flashbacks in chapters, or was this a one time thing?[/quote]I'm not entirely sure yet. It definitely isn't going to be a constant thing, but I may include a few, possibly for other characters. With the plan I have, there will be at least one more down the line. If there will be more, I cannot say.
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] FinFihlman
I just read through the entire thing on one sit, really enjoyed it![/quote]Thanks! Glad you like it. More will come, I've been meaning to pick this back up for a while now.

After what seemed like hours, I finally saw movement. As I drew nearer, I recognized the figure as an elite. He gave one last look around, and entered the pod. The Covenant were leaving. A feeling of relief washed over me. Then I realized why they were leaving.
Turning from the pod, I ran for the hangar. They had what they wanted, this ship wasn't going to last much longer. Vague memory guided me through the halls as my lungs burned from the strain. My mind blocked out the bodies of the marines that littered the hall, psychological blinders keeping my focus on escape.
Finally, I reached the hangar, only two pelicans left.
"Come on, kid!" Luck called from the hangar floor. "We need to get the [i]hell[/i] outta here!" I leaped down the stairs in a desperate attempt to get there faster. The second pelican belonged to the Spartans, and they were waiting as well. Looking toward the exit, I saw the Covenant ship let off a blast of plasma. As it raced towards us, I neared my escape. It slammed into the ship as I dove for the pelican, grabbing hold of a hydraulic lift as the atmosphere was sucked from the ship.
"Pull him in!" I heard someone yell as my hand slipped from the lift, the pull of vacuum picking my feet up into the air. As my hand released its grip, a firm hand grasped my shirt, tossing me into the pelican.
I grabbed a harness as I turned to see the Spartan.
"Get out of here, now!" his deep voice ordered, the door to the pelican already closing. I looked up to see Luck next to me, a different pilot at the helm.
Looking through the windshield, I watched a fiery streak pierce the Covenant vessel, a slug from a Mass Driver on the surface of the planet.
As the adrenaline subsided, my fatigue came in fast, vision fading to black as I lay on the cold metal grating of the pelican's floor. My eyes drooped and I dissolved into unconsciousness.
"Stay with me, kid!" Luck's voice sounded in the blackness "Kid! Jonathan! Jonathan!... Roland! Stay with me Roland! Roland!...
-------
"Roland!" a much older voice rang in my ears as I came around. "Roland!" Luck's voice came again, this time louder. I felt a pressure in my hand, and my eyes opened. As my vision came back, I saw Luck pulling me from the rubble, Collins standing close behind her.
"Roland, you alright?" Luck asked me, relief showing on her face.
[i]Never better[/i] I tried to joke, but only coughs came out, my lungs purging the dust from my body.
I looked around and saw Nurse Balehnco tending to a few survivors. Young and Tanner were supporting the Major between them, and Reynolds was helping the Nurse.
I coughed again, this time able to ask a question. "Where's Duncan? Stone, Strauss, Bishop?"
"Stone and Strauss are further up in the rubble, looking for more survivors. We haven't found the ODSTs yet. They were in a different part of the complex" Luck answered solemnly.
As Luck and I struggled to pull the rest of me out of the rubble, I realized how few had survived. Only a handful of the injured lay, moaning, on the jagged rocks. Many more bodies lay silent, too few sheets to cover them all.
I looked myself over, finding no wounds. Amazed, I looked back at the small crater that I had just been exhumed from, the gurney I had dove under mangled by the weight of the rock. That gurney had saved me, holding enough pressure away to keep me from being crushed.
Looking down to my wrist, I noticed that my wrist computer had once again been wiped by the EMP. I pulled out the AI chip that housed Asclepius, the light in the center no longer lit.
"The EMP must have wiped him" Nurse Balehnko noted as she passed by, her tone soft and sympathetic.
"Are you sure you're good, Roland?" Luck asked once more.
"Yeah," I answered, sliding the AI chip back into my pocket "thanks. See if you can help search for more survivors." Luck gave a somber nod and walked off in the direction of Strauss. I looked back again at the gurney, running through the map of CLINIC Base in my mind.
Following the floor plan of the demolished labyrinth, I tried my best to recollect the location of the generator room.
I surveyed the rubble that surrounded me, looking for any sign of the ODSTs. After a few minutes, I heard a muffled pop behind me. I stopped, keeping the sound of my own footsteps from interfering.
Silence, then another pop. I turned and tried to trace the sound, not sure what it was. Suddenly, the familiarity of the sound rang in my ears: it was gunfire. I got down on my knees and started tossing pieces of the mountain out of the way.
Finally, an arm burst from the stone before me, and I pulled Duncan from the rubble, closely followed by Bishop and Jinn. Both ODSTs removed their helmets and took deep breaths.
"Took you long enough!" Duncan managed to speak "We were running out of ammo." The Lieutenant, gave a brief smile and we joined the others, looking for any other survivors.
-------
We all sat, huddled, around the bonfire as the cold night set in. I saw Nurse Balehnco through the flames, her head resting on Reynolds's shoulder. Her responsibility to the injured soldiers was over. All of those that were pulled from the rubble had perished before sundown.
Her tears shone a glistening red and orange as the fire flickered before them. Next to her sat Luck, staring into the distance with a look of sorrow on her face.
Duncan, Collins, and the Major sat around a radio, half-crushed by the rubble and fried by the EMP, they had little hope, if any, of getting it to work.
The others: Bishop, Strauss, Tanner, Jinn, Young and Stone were moving the bodies, laying them in rows to be buried in the rubble.
I sat in shock, still half in disbelief from the sudden and unexpected attack. My eyes strained, unfocused, into the dark night sky as my mind refused to function. Suddenly my eye's caught on a light.
What was it? A shooting star, a chunk of space debris arcing through the sky? I absentmindedly pondered the light until the sound grew loud enough to notice.
Almost as if a switch had been turned, all focus turned to the approaching light, and the Albatross attached to it. As it came in closer for a landing, struggling to to find an area flat enough to do so, the realization appeared to sink in, and looks of relief washed over a few of our faces.
Our reinforcements had arrived, but only in time to count the dead. I was glad that they were late. There would have been nothing they could have done against a glassing. Those of us that survived only did so because of the mountain in the Covenant's way.
The rubble shifted as the immense weight of the aircraft settled down a few meters from our fire. I stood, looking over to Commander Collins as the door hissed open.
Salutes sprung up all around as General Kaiso himself stepped onto the crumbling rock. His eyes scanned our small group, lingering on Collins, then me, sadness weighing visibly on his brow.
Collins took the first steps towards the Albatross, and Duncan, Salvich, and I followed suit.
"Are these all the survivors?" He asked once we were close.
"Unfortunately, sir. They torched the mountain. The entire base collapsed on top of us. Those of us that are still here are luckier than most." Collins answered.
"That, I can see." Kaiso sighed, his eyes gazing past us to the rows of the dead. "If I'd have know what the outcome would be, I'd have brought water and bandages, not bullets and explosives."
Kaiso looked at each of us, then spoke again. "I have room on the Albatross for your group. My men will spend the night burying the dead. These men fought to their last breaths, despite their wounds. They at least deserve a burial. You four and your men have earned a rest. We'll dust off in the morning, and I'll take you back to HIGHCOM."
We nodded, gave another round of salutes, then turned to spread the word. As we walked back to the bonfire, Kaiso addressed Collins once more.
"Commander," Collins turned back to the General "do you think we can win this war?"
Collins stood silent for a moment before sounding his reply. "I don't know General. What I do know, is that every single one of these men fought to their dying breath to protect the rest of us, and that I will gladly do the same." Collins swept his arm in the direction of the deceased. "Can the Covenant say the same? General, I don't know whether or not we can win this war. But I do know that the Covenant are going to have to go through hell to make us lose it."
"I hope you're right Commander." The General nodded slowly as Collins' words sank in. "For all of our sakes, I hope to God you're right."
[Edited on 02.19.2012 1:18 PM PST]

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Gr33n Knight
There you go, 13 and 14. At this pace, 15 shouldn't be too far off.[/quote]...Let's just forget I said that...
Anyway, after over 6 months of procrastination, distraction, dragonslaying, and all kinds of stuff, Chapter 15 is done!!
At this pace, I'll be to Chapter 20 by 2014... In all honesty, this story has been churning in the back of my mind for months now. Finally, I had the time to sit down and write, and this should be enough to get me back into only somewhat long time periods between chapters. I've been really focused on my classes this semester so that I can keep my scholarship, but I'm finally getting into the rhythm of assignments, and will have time to write.
Now that I've made excuses and promises that I can't keep, it's finally time for Chapter 15. It's a tad short, but the chapters will get longer as I get back into the habit of writing... I hope...
[quote][/quote][b][u][i]Chapter 15[/i][/u][/b]
Luck watched in horror as the mountain crumbled under the assault, her voice hoarse from screaming Roland's name into the comm. Her mind shut down from utter helplessness, and her legs wobbled as she fell against the outer hull of the pelican.
She snapped back into clarity just in time to see the approaching shockwave shake the trees between her and the mountain, many of them being ripped from the ground by the force of it. Standing back on her feet, she dove into the pelican as it was hit by the blast.
Luck grabbed a harness in the pelican as the ship was thrown into the air, crashing down into a grove of trees on the other side of the hill. Grabbing Roland's Assault Rifle off of the ground, she crawled out of the overturned pelican and through the trunks of felled trees, making her way back to the clearing she had landed in.
She rose to her feet and saw the burning mountain, the top half of it gone completely. Smoke rose from the trees around the it as they spread the flames. The Covenant ship was already leaving the area, its job done.
"Roland!" She tried once more over the comm, receiving nothing but static, the glassing beam disabling all nearby electronics with an EMP. Pulling the useless earpiece out, she stepped forward, and began running to the mountain.
-------
As I lay unconscious in the rubble, my mind was flooded by memories. I watched myself wake up with a start as explosions rang in my ears. I was back on the [i]Resolute[/i], not long after Jericho VII was glassed. The Covenant had followed us from the planet, and we now drifted over the surface of Harvest, which had only recently been won back from the aliens.
I pushed open the glass of the cryo-pod and looked around as all the marines rushed to get dressed and ready. Sense kicked in and I followed suit, my body aching. Private Williams was next to me, and saw the discomfort on my face.
"Freezerburn, eh?" He asked. Apparently, being frozen caused aches and sores to develop in areas where skin came into contact with anything else. Most marines dubbed these lesions 'Freezerburn,' and it was something you got used to.
I ignored Williams and continued getting dressed. Down towards the end of the room, something caught my eye, and I turned to see the Spartans emerging from their pods, still in full armor; they loomed above the rest of the soldiers.
They quickly left the room, weapons drawn.
"What's going on?" I asked Williams, confused by the relative calm of the marines in the chaos.
"The Covenant are here." He stated plainly.
My stomach tightened as I realized the situation, the feeling soon replaced by apprehension. This was my first chance to get revenge for my sister's death. I picked up my new Assault Rifle and slammed the clip into the back of the weapon.
"You [i]do[/i] know how to use that thing, don't you?" Williams asked, concerned.
"Only one way to find out." I answered. I didn't want to mention my training in the Insurrection, so I figured that a natural proficiency with weapons would be a better explanation.
We formed up around Sergeant Yang, and I caught a nod from Corporal Walker as he stood across from me in the impromptu circle around the Sergeant.
"I've received word that the Covenant are sending pods in our direction." He began "I don't know what they want on this ship, but they're boarding us for one reason or another. We only need to hold them off until support from Harvest's surface arrives. Only one Covenant ship is here, but all of Harvest's ships are docked for repair from the recent battle, so we're on our own against it. I want you to spread around the ship, keeping an ear in on the comms to hear word of nearby breaches. If everything goes to hell, get to the hangar and get out, you may be able to make it to the surface."
Everyone nodded in understanding, but nobody spoke. "Geertz, Stockholm, Walker, Butler, McEwen, Linwood, and Rowe, each of you will take a squad. Williams, Van Lindle, and Hersch, you're with me."
"Good luck, Rook." Williams said quietly as he followed the Sergeant out of the room.
I instantly moved over towards Walker, the only familiar face in the room, and was soon joined by Privates Green and Sennett. After brief introductions, we made our way to the mess hall.
The mess hall was eerily quiet, a stark contrast from how it had been before everyone had gone into cryo storage. With no direction to go, and no chatter over the comm, all we could do was wait for something to happen. Green sat down at a table by the entrance, and began rubbing his knees, which were sore from freezerburn.
"I don't know if I'll ever get used to cryo-pods." He stated. "Every time I wake up in one of those things, I -" The wall next to Green exploded as a Covenant pod crashed through it, tearing the table to shreds, and crushing Green. As we all reacted, raising our weapons towards the pod, an elite leaped out of it, sending a bolt of plasma into Sennett's skull.
Walker lobbed a grenade as I turned over a table for cover.
"We have a breach in the mess hall!" Walker yelled into the comm, barely audible over the thud of the grenade. "I repeat: Breach in the mess hall!"
I peeked over the table and fired at the elite as the grunts began to pour out of the pod. Walker tossed another grenade and made short work of the majority of them as I continued peppering the elite with bullets.
A blue streak arched over us and stuck to the table behind ours, giving off a faint whistling sound.
We dove from cover as the grenade detonated, leaving only a molten crater where we had just been. The elite took the opportunity and let the plasma fly as we got to our feet.
I leaped onto a nearby table and began hopping from one to the other to avoid the shots, Walker following suit in the other direction. As the elite tracked me with it's weapon, Walker made a wide arc, coming back at it. When it realized that, Walker was already leaping at the alien, combat knife drawn.
As he impacted the powerful creature, his knife dug into its shoulder. As the pair hit the floor, the elite crying out in pain, the remaining grunts opened fire on Walker, who quickly rolled over with the elite, putting it between the plasma and him. The elite grabbed Walker's wrist tightly, snapping bones as his powerful grip compressed them. Before he could do any more damage, however, the grunts' shots hit, the plasma searing the elite's armored back and tearing their way into its chest cavity.
As Walker pulled himself away from the now dead elite, I turned and opened fire at the few grunts that remained, finishing them off easily.
"Bastard broke my wrist!" Walker cursed, clutching his mangled hand. I got a quick look at the injury before another explosion sounded behind us, another pod breaching the wall. We turned and fired, but Walker was unable to aim with his left hand. Knowing that I couldn't take them alone, we turned and ran. More marines were on their way, and would be able to fend them off.
Once in the hallway, I turned to make sure that Walker was alright. He wasn't there. Peering back into the mess hall, I saw him on the floor, his back hit with plasma.
I was alone.
I primed a grenade and tossed it towards the crowd of Covenant, not sticking around to see the results. I ran through the halls of the ship, unable find any other marines. As I stumbled through the carnage, I scavenged an earpiece from a fallen Corporal.
The comm was filled with screams, desperate requests for help as the Covenant breached the ship from every side. The sound slowly died down as the Covenant did their work, a pit forming in my stomach as I listened to the marines falling, one-by-one, to the might of the Covenant.
[Edited on 02.19.2012 10:49 AM PST]

yeah... classes have been keeping me a lot busier than expected... I have half of the chapter finished, but I have yet to find a way to tie that half into the next chapter.
..and now Skyrim is out...
Still, not a day goes by that I don't think about this chapter. I have had tons of ideas, but none of them have fit so far. It's only a matter of time before I find the right puzzle piece, so that I can get the ball rolling once again...

Gah, so I've been really busy in the last month, since the semester started, and haven't had much time to write. I did have the chance to start the next chapter, but it's only about half-way done. I do have another beach trip this weekend, so I should be able to finish it then. Hopefully I won't keep you waiting too much longer.

We made it all the way back to the infirmary without a peep from Asclepius, and Collins was waiting for us at the entrance, behind one of the many walls he had built from extra beds and medical supplies.
"I take it you got the AI?" He asked. My answer came as I held up the chip. "Good, Duncan and the others should have the generator back up soon."
"Roland, this is Luck." a familiar voice sounded in my ear. "That cruiser is right on top of the mountain. The thing is huge, I can barely see the edges of it."
"Let's just hope they wait a bit to send in their troops." I replied.
Suddenly, the power popped back on, the ground humming with the buzz of the generators. The patients that could cheered, but their cheers subsided as the ground continued to shake.
It wasn't the generators.
Luck's voice came in once more, but this time full of panic.
"Roland! Whatever you've got, they don't want it. They are glassing the mountain! Roland get somewhere..."
The voice faded away as the roar of shaking earth drowned it out completely. Nurses started screaming as patients fell out of their beds. I watched in frozen horror as the walls around me cracked, the long, spider-like gaps extending into the stone floors as the shaking intensified.
Instinct finally took over and I dove for whatever cover I could find, taking cover under a gurney as Stone, Reynolds, and the others did the same.
"Damn lunatics!" I heard the Major yell "They're bringing the whole damned mountain down!"
Before I could answer, the ceiling started coming down, chunks of the mountain crushing anything they landed on. The bone-shattering thuds of the impacts rattled me until my mind went black.
-------
There you go, 13 and 14. At this pace, 15 shouldn't be too far off.